BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern Contest 2013 - Scala Dress

Description

The story of this dress is quite exciting and adventurous if I think it well. A few weeks ago I found out I finally got the chance to get a ticket to the opera at the La Scala theater in Milan, which has been my dream ever since I had moved here. So I HAD to make myself a special evening dress for the occasion. The same day I got the ticket, I went on Burdastyle.com and saw the contest, and I got the idea of participating with my “Scala” dress (since both the original contest deadline and the day I was going at La Scala were the same day, 8th of February). I immediately bought the book on Amazon.it, it arrived not long after, and after quite some procrastinating on frabrics, I started working on the dress. The faith, though, did not want me to wear it at the opera, because 2 days before the show I found out I was supposed to have a job interview on the day of the show. So this is how I ended up at La Scala on Friday in my interview clothes… and this dress will end up in my Etsy store. But anyhow, it will remain my contest dress here on Burdastyle.

So here are the facts:
1. master pattern used from the Sewing Vintage Modern book: the Elizabeth Gathered-Waist Dress
2. pattern modifications:
- I altered the neckline using the instructions in the book for obtaining the pajama set top, in the front, and designing my own V-neck in the back
- I added a “reversed” collar that I drafted myself, which has the ends at the back instead of at the front
- instead of using the straight gathered skirt that the pattern originally had, I used a flared skirt (almost semi-circle) that I also gathered at the waist for extra-fullness
- I added 2 options of sash: 1 black and 1 striped, and 2 options of bows: 1 black and 1 striped, in order to give more possibilities to create different looks
3. Fabric:
- black silk shantung for the bodice and for the black sash and bow; I bought this fabric almost 3 years ago in a cute little store in Montmartre in Paris, it was the first “Parisian” fabric I ever bought
- black and gold diagonal stripes silk taffeta for the skirt, collar, and striped sash and bow; this one I bought at Tessuti Raponi in Milan and I never quite knew what to do with it until having the idea to make this dress
4. Construction:
- for the entire dress I used a straight stitch for uniting the pieces; the collar is interfaced, so are the neck and arm facings
- all seams are finished with my serger
- the hem is very narrow and also the edge inside is serged

5. Styling
- the dress is pictured in all the photos with a full tulle petticoat underneath for extra-fluffiness and for a more authentic 50s look

1 Reply

Your design choices for this dress is clever, well chosen but not over the top. Well done. I especially like your use of moving the striping to different angles away from the narrow waist. Anyone wearing it will have that ‘hour-glass figure’ look. This is enhanced with the way you’ve made the belt to give a flow right at the waist, moving the eye one way, then the other, then blending right down into the skirt of the dress. They ‘sway’ effect is there, even while it is on the dress mannequin. This shows a great deal of thought and skill in your design. I voted for you, but I really think it’s a winner.

1 Reply

Thanks a lot Sally! It was tricky to work with all those stripes and I was constantly wondering if I got the right side of the fabric well (the stripes are in various shades of gold and black/grey), but in the end I’m also pleased with the result. :)

1 Reply

Thank you so much Nikolene! Yes I was afraid of this silk for so long but then I said to myself “what the hell… if not now, when?” Anyway silk shantung and silk taffeta are more manageable than crepe de chine or silk satin or silk chifon so are a nice idea for who wants to start to approach silk.

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